


Christmas Cookie Competition

by ericsonclan



Series: The Everett Bunch [8]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Christmas Cookies, Family Fluff, Gen, M/M, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27897625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: Matthew and Walter enjoy a moment together before they start making Christmas cookies with their kids.
Relationships: AJ | Alvin Jr. & Willy (Walking Dead: Done Running), James & Tenn (Walking Dead: Done Running), James (Walking Dead: Suffer The Children) & Minnie (Walking Dead: Done Running), James (Walking Dead: Suffer The Children) & Sophie (Walking Dead: Done Running), Matthew/Walter (Walking Dead: A House Divided), Minerva & Sophie (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: The Everett Bunch [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1988578
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Christmas Cookie Competition

**Author's Note:**

> (by Linnea)

Walter and Matthew sat down in their front living room, enjoying the peaceful moment life had given them. Their hands were intertwined as they curled up on the couch and began to talk about all the fun activities they would do. 

“I can’t wait for the snow to start really piling high,” Walter leaned his head on top of Matthew’s. 

His husband gave a soft chuckle. “The kids are going to have so much fun when it does. We just need to make sure they stay bundled up so they don’t catch colds.” Matthew stared at his husband’s Christmas sweater with large snowflakes on it for a second; red really did look great on him. 

“Is there something on my sweater?” Walter asked with a warm smile.

“No, it’s just it looks great on you. That’s all.” Matthew’s words made Walter’s heart flutter. 

“Thank you, yours looks great too.” Walter’s compliment made Matthew’s cheeks heat up as he glanced down at his deep blue Christmas sweater. Christmas lights covered the edges circling around the text on it that said “Lucky Member Of An Amazing Family”. The two stared at each then leaned in for a gentle, warm kiss. When they pulled back Matthew leaned his head on Walter’s shoulder.

“Should we tell the kids it’s about time to make Christmas cookies?” Matthew whispered. Walter’s thumb started to rub circles on Matthew’s hand. 

“I’m sure they’ll be down any minute now,” Walter felt his heart grow light in that moment, enjoying all the emotions that were brought along with it. Matthew seemed to feel the same as the couple cuddled on the couch.

It was around ten minutes later when they heard a thunk from upstairs by the staircase. Loud footsteps revealed Willy. His wild hair matched the goofy bright green elf Christmas sweater he was wearing. A wide grin was on his face, his body bouncing excitedly on the balls on his feet. “Is it time for Christmas cookies?” Willy’s question made Walter and Matthew share a smile. It looked like their alone time was done. But they were excited to start making cookies with their kids. 

“Yep. Could you let your brothers and sisters know?” Walter smiled over at his son who nodded wildly and disappeared up the stairs again.

“Alright boys and girls, it's time for cookies!” Willy’s lively voice made Walter chuckle as he rose up from his spot. The opening of different doors and multiple footsteps made it clear the others had heard their brother. 

“Holy shit!” Sophie’s bright voice appeared first followed by her frantic footsteps before she appeared in front of her parents. Her head was currently stuck in the wrong hole of her white Christmas sweater that had red detailing on it. She must have gotten too carried away with her excitement. “I’m almost ready,” Sophie reassured, blindly moving around until she bumped into her older brother James. 

“Whoa, careful,” James’ calm voice made the redhead stop in her awkward struggle. He gently helped her navigate through her sweater, guiding her head to pop out of the right spot. 

“Whew! Thanks, James!” Sophie smiled warmly at her brother who gave a gentle smile. 

“It’s no problem.” James returned the smile. His hands began to readjust his own Christmas sweater, light blue with small reindeer prancing around. He was about to ask his sister if she was excited for Christmas cookies this year when AJ came barreling down the stairs in his red Santa Christmas sweater, nearly running into a wall.

“Careful there, buddy,” Sophie chuckled and ruffled the top of his head. 

“Is it cookie making time?” AJ’s eyes looked up into his sister’s.

“Just about,” Matthew replied with a smile. “But AJ, you need to be more careful in the house. I know it can be exciting and that your older siblings might not be setting the best example right now,” Matthew looked over at Sophie and Willy who looked slightly embarrassed, “But still.”

AJ looked down for a moment, his face falling as he gave a nod, but his sadness immediately dissipated when he noticed Tenn and Minnie walking down the stairs together. 

“Tenn!” AJ scurried over to his older brother who had donned an evergreen Christmas sweater. Small bells were on the hem of it that gently rang as he descended the stairs.

“Hey, AJ. Ready for Christmas cookies?” Tenn smiled softly at his brother who nodded with enthusiasm. 

“Dad,” Minnie called out from the staircase, “Do you need help with preparing the gingerbread?”

“That would be great!” Walter’s voice responded from the kitchen. Minnie moved forward, fidgeting with the edge of her Christmas sweater that looked identical to Sophie’s except the colors were reversed. 

“Let’s all help,” James offered and quickly followed Minnie forward to help their dad. Sophie ran behind alongside Willy and AJ before she remembered the rule about running in the house and slowed down. Matthew gave a small laugh at his daughter’s correction while he brought up the rear with Tenn. As soon as the kids and Matthew had joined Walter in the kitchen he began to hand out instructions.

“Alright, we’ll need flour, rolling pins, cookie cutters and of course the gingerbread.” Walter walked over and started up the Christmas playlist that started out with “Jingle Bells”.

Willy scurried to grab the rolling pins along with AJ while James and Tenn walked over and got out the cookie cutters. Walter and Matthew got the flour out and Minnie and Sophie carried the gingerbread from the fridge. 

“Who would like the first turn flouring the counter?” Walter looked over at his kids as he preheated the oven. Willy, AJ and Sophie seemed the most enthusiastic about it; all three of them volunteered right away. Matthew chose for AJ to go first with the promise that everyone could have turns rolling out the dough and flouring the counter. 

So the family began work on the cookies. Sophie took the first turn rolling out the dough while AJ worked to sprinkle the flour. The rest of the kids started to take out the cookie cutters while Matthew and Walter worked to set up the trays. The couple shared small kisses here and there as they moved throughout the kitchen. 

The first portion of dough was soon rolled out and the family started to get to work on cutting out the cookies. James and Tenn seemed rather fond of the Christmas trees and made sure plenty of those were making it onto the trays. Minnie focused on getting the candy canes cut out and AJ made Santas while Sophie and Willy worked to create a small army of gingerbread men. All of their designs couldn’t be made in just the first batch of rolled out dough and so the second kid in charge of rolling out dough was James. He worked with Minnie who scattered the flour to make sure none of the gingerbread dough got stuck on the surface. 

Once it was rolled out the kids went right back to work but quickly stopped to give their parents a turn. Matthew got to work cutting out cookies in the shape of stars and Walter focused on reindeers. Before long the first two sets of trays were filled with the different Christmas shapes. 

That didn’t stop the siblings from working on more though as they started to sing along with “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch”. Walter led the singing. His deep voice fit perfectly with the song and he was quickly joined by Sophie and Willy who seemed especially fond of this song. Everyone was singing and humming along to the song, setting aside the cookies and waiting for the trays to clear up as the song moved along. 

“The three words that best describe you are as follows and I quote,” Sophie and Minnie said in time.

“Stink. Stank. Stuuuuunk.” The whole family sang along, laughing as a new song began.

Soon the first two trays of cookies were done and James offered to help Matthew set the cookies to cool while Walter worked with Tenn and AJ to carefully place the next batch on the tray and back into the oven. This continued on for quite some time. Quieter Christmas songs began to play which James and Minnie hummed along to together, their voices matching nicely as the music filled the kitchen. 

After a while all the Christmas cookies were cooled and siblings worked alongside their parents to make the frosting. Each sibling seemed excited about different colors and Walter and Matthew let them put as much food coloring as they wanted, making some very vibrantly colored frosting. They then worked to place all the bowls of frosting on the table along with the gingerbread cookies. 

“I bet I can decorate cookies faster than you can!” Willy smiled smugly at AJ who gave a frown.

“No way, I’m gonna win.”

“Oooo! Let’s have a competition,” Sophie’s eyes danced with excitement. 

“Yeah!” AJ and Willy said at the same time, making the others laugh. After a few minutes of setting up, the table was split in two. Half of the table, Willy, AJ, Sophie, and Matthew, were preparing for a heated cookie decorating competition while the other side, Tenn, Minnie, James and Walter, seemed perfectly content to enjoy the process of decorating. That didn’t stop Minnie, however, from getting competitive with her twin sometimes. 

“That’s four done,” Minnie stated simply, her smile growing when Sophie looked up with shocked eyes after she’d only finished two.

“Well, I’ve made six!” Willy gave a toothy grin and displayed his masterpieces. All of them had rather sloppy amounts of icing but no one stopped him from continuing on. AJ’s mouth was slightly ajar when he saw the amount his older brother had finished but his eyes soon hardened with determination as he buckled down to finish his fourth cookie.

“Better watch out, little dude.” Matthew smiled over at Willy. “I’m catching up to you.” 

Walter smiled over at his husband who seemed to be having the time of his life doing the cookie decorating competition. He glanced over at Tenn who was busy carefully decorating his gingerbread cookie. He had chosen to ice a Christmas tree cookie and had already gotten the deep green on. He was in the middle of putting on the small lights in the form of sprinkles when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that James was icing a reindeer gingerbread cookie. James felt his younger brother’s eyes on him and paused in his decorating to give a gentle smile. 

“Wow, your cookie is really good, Tenn.” James’ compliment made a soft smile appear on his brother’s face.

“Thanks, I think yours is great too.”

“Quite the artists,” Walter beamed over at his children. 

“I don’t know, I think mine are pretty shitty.” A frown appeared on Minnie’s face when she looked at her gingerbread cookie. The icing was smeared weirdly on it and she had overdone it on the sprinkles.

“I think they looked great. Everyone has their own uniqueness to them,” Walter’s words made all of his kids’ eyes brighten. 

“No kidding, we have some serious talent here.” Matthew added. Willy smiled, revealing that he had begun to eat the gingerbread cookies.

“Hey, we can’t eat them until after we finish decorating,” Minnie huffed, a slight pout on her lips. 

“I think it's alright if we each have one during this time but then save the rest for later.” Walter’s suggestion was met with agreement as the family continued to work on their decorating. After over an hour had passed all the cookies were decorated. 

“Whoa,” AJ looked at Sophie’s cookies, awestruck. “That’s amazing!” The others looked at Sophie’s collection of gingerbread cookies and were surprised to see cookies of themselves there, all eight of them. They were incredibly detailed for gingerbread cookies. She had even gone as far as trying to replicate the sweater that each member of her family was wearing. Sophie became overwhelmed by the different praise that she was receiving even though she felt her heart warm at all the compliments. 

“Everyone’s gingerbread cookies look awesome!” Sophie’s words made the others’ smile proudly. The praise began to spread to each member of the family as they worked together to place away the cookies into the cookie jars. After that was complete they gathered around the TV, cuddling up under blankets on the couches. But before long the kids had fallen asleep. Sophie’s head rested haphazardly on Minnie’s shoulder who had two other siblings asleep on her, AJ and Willy. James was asleep in a blanket pile, his arms wrapped around Tenn as he slept. Walter and Matthew looked at their children. Their hearts practically melted with the love they felt for their kids. Every day that these kids had been in their lives they had considered an irreplaceable blessing. But around Christmas time that feeling grew tenfold. 

“They seemed to enjoy decorating the Christmas cookies,” Matthew whispered to his husband.

“Yeah,” Walter smiled over at his husband before placing a soft kiss on his lips. “Wanna finish the movie then help me carry them to bed?”

“Sure,” Matthew cuddled up closer to Walter and the pair continued to watch the movie, enjoying the simple joy of family and all the Christmas experiences that came with it.


End file.
